Lennox Lewis was born in London, on 2nd September 1965. At the age of 12 he moved with his family to Kitchenet Ontario, Canada At High School, Lennox excelled at many sports basketball, volleyball, track and field, American football, soccer and of course boxing. Despite attractive offers to play college basketball and football, Lennox focused on developing a career in amateur boxing. Five years after taking up boxing, he became World Junior Champion at the age of 17. At 18, Lennox joined the adult ranks of amateur boxing and represented Canada in the 1984 Olympic Games held in Los Angeles. Despite giving away age and experience to older opponents, he reached the quarter finals of the 1984 Games - losing to the eventual Gold Medalist, Tyrell Biggsof the USA. He returned to Canada a national hero at the age of 18. Four years later at the Seoul Olympic Games boxing final in 1988, Lennox stopped Riddick Bowe of the USA in the 2nd round to win his coveted Olympic Gold Medal. Lennox returned to England in 1989 and signed a professional contract and then went on to win the British Heavyweight, Commonwealth and European Title. Then on 31st October 1992, in only two rounds and in front of a full house at London's Earl's Court, Lennox sensationally knocked out Razor Ruddock, who was widely recognised as the most dangerous heavyweight in the world ratings after Mike Tyson. Lennox was crowned WBC Heavyweight Champion of the World on 14th January 1993 when he also became the first British Heavyweight World Champion this Century! Lennox has successfully defended his title against the American No. 1 challenger 'Tony Tucker' in Las Vegas and stopped the Briton 'Frank Bruno' in seven rounds at Cardiff Arms Park, Wales, in the same fashion that Mike Tyson had done a year earlier. He then convincingly defeated Philip Jackson of the USA, by knockout in the eighth round, in Atlantic City and May 1994. In September 1994 Lennox unexpectedly lost his WBC Title to what many experts have called a lucky punch thrown by Oliver McCall of the USA at Wembley Stadium in London. On 7th February 1997, Lennox Lewis became the first British boxer to regain the world title when he defeated Oliver McCall, for the World Boxing Council's Heavyweight Boxing Championship in Las Vegas Nevada, before a television audience of 80 million viewers. He then went on to defeat Henry Akinwande in June 1997 and destroy Andrew Golota in one of the quickest Heavyweight championship bouts. Golota, the thorn in the side of Riddick Bowe, was decked twice in 95 seconds. In March 1998 Lennox comprehensively defeated Shannon Briggs in five rounds in Atlantic City when a thrilling fight was stopped by the referee after Lennox felled Shannon three times. In September 1998 in Connecticut Lennox comprehensively out boxed game challenger Zeljko Mavrovic (a Croation European Champion) to win convincingly on points over 12 rounds. March 1999 proved to be a defining moment in Lennox's career. After comprehensively outboxing Evander Holyfield in a 3 title unification bout watched by 150 million viewers worldwide, Lennox rose above the controversy of ringside judges calling the fight a draw. Lennox dealt with the worldwide media attention in such a dignified way that he won new fans on both sides of the Atlantic. On November 13 Lennox beat Holyfield, again in 13 rounds, winning on points. He returned to England a national hero by becoming the first British heavyweight world champion this century. In December 1999, Lennox Lewis, MBE was awarded another title (DUniv) by the University of North London. He collected his honorary doctorate from the Barbican Centre on December 8. The award was presented in recognition of his outstanding achievements in his commitment to education and to sport. Lennox spent millions funding the purpose built Lennox Lewis college based in Hackney. The college opened in 1995 as a three year pioneering education pilot to support disaffected youngsters at risk from slipping through the 'net'. The London Borough of Hackney, where the Lennox Lewis Centre is situated, awarded Lennox with the Freedom of The Borough in December 1999. A review of the centre is currently being undertaken.
